


Why Virgil is never going back into the imagination

by StarStorm21



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post dark sides redemption, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22603507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarStorm21/pseuds/StarStorm21
Summary: Thomas has accepted all the dark sides and no longer fears them or pushes them away. There are no dark sides and no light sides. Just sides as one big family.It would be a shame if Virgil forgot that.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Everyone
Comments: 13
Kudos: 170





	Why Virgil is never going back into the imagination

**Author's Note:**

> This started with the idea of Virgil forgetting he was accepted by the light sides and then kinda got away from me. 
> 
> Also the end involves a very big needle and Virgil being restrained, you have been warned.

Virgil usually avoided the imagination. It was the most dangerous part of the conscious mind which did not mix well with him, but Roman had wanted to show off something he’d been working on and he couldn’t find it in himself to say no.  
Remus and Deceit had declined though, Remus found Roman’s side of the imagination as unsettling as Roman found his, and Deceit didn’t want to leave Remus alone. It wasn’t safe for Remus to be alone, especially for himself. Everyone understood. The two would just have a day in Remus’ side of the imagination.  
“It’ll just be the four of us then. Just like old times.”  
‘Not too old times.’ Virgil thought as he felt his smile go strained. He quickly told himself that’s not what Patton meant and quickly followed the others through the door to the imagination.  
-  
The glade was beautiful. It was covered in unnaturally soft and comfortably cool grass, that gave off a soothing glow. A soft breeze blew through causing the grass to ripple in swirling patterns. The effect was magnified by it being night and only rivaled by the sky full to bursting with stars.  
“Wow!” Patton happily started running around in the grass laughing as it changed colors with his touch. “This is amazing!”  
“I have to say Roman; I am impressed. It’s not like you to make something so subdued. Most of your creations are rather grand and over the top.”  
Virgil laid down on the grass and closed his eyes. “Yeah what Logan said.”  
“Oh, there’s more.” Roman pointed to the sky. “But I don’t think you’ll mind.”  
As soon as everyone was looking a streak of light shot across the sky.  
Patton gasped. “A shooting star! Everyone make a wish.”  
“They are not actually stars, but simply meteors burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.” While Logan was trying to be serious, he couldn’t stop the aw in his voice.  
There were a few more streaks of light and soon a full-on meteor shower was lighting up the night sky.  
Everyone was enjoying the sight when Virgil noticed something move among the trees. He new it was probably nothing. Roman wouldn’t have anything dangerous in this place, but just to be on the safe side he nudged Roman and pointed to the thing in the trees.  
“Hey Roman, what’s that?”  
Roman looked to where Virgil was pointing and frowned. That did not make Virgil feel any better.  
“Something that’s not supposed to be here.” Roman stood and unsheathed his sword.  
That was when the thing in the trees started heading int their direction. Also, it wasn’t just one thing, it was many. Five large pulsating brains with writhing bundles of nerves, bobbed towards them.  
By now both Patton and Logan had noticed what was going on.  
“Roman, could you explain what is going on?”  
“Some of Remus’ monsters. I have no idea how they got into my half of the imagination.”  
Roman made sure to keep himself between the brains and the other sides. When one got to close, he slashed at it and it dissolved into greenish goo. He did the same to the other four and soon there were five piles of green goo on the ground.  
“Ok star gazing is over.”  
Both Patton and Virgil nodded with no argument. Logan looked from the goo to Roman with a thoughtful frown.  
“Yes, I would have to agree. This is a serous issue you and Remus need to address.”  
“Yeah.”  
They all headed back to the door, near the trees, when Virgil noticed something move. He was about to call out to Roman when he felt stringy tendrils wrap around him and something big and squishy over his head.  
“NO! AHH!”  
There was pain. A lot of pain. He was vaguely aware of Roman running towards him with his sword before blacking out.  
-  
Virgil groaned. His head hurt worse than he ever thought it could. What happened? The last thing he remembered was that dumb new year’s resolution video, where everyone had dismissed him with that annoyingly catchy song.  
He cracked his eyes open and was met with all the light sides crowded around him. He instantly scrambled back and hissed at them.  
That had the desired effect of them jumping back and away from him. They all looked to each other with confusion and another emotion Virgil couldn’t identify.  
They stayed like that for a moment before Patton took a small step closer. Virgil tensed ready to run. He didn’t know if the light sides would hurt him, but he’d rather not find out. Thomas wasn’t here to be the peacekeeper of his mind.  
Actually, where was here?  
For the first time he noticed they were not in the commons. In fact, he’d never seen this place before, which could only mean he was in Roman’s part of the imagination. A new wave of panic hit him, and he felt sick.  
“Hey Virgil, what’s wrong?”  
Virgil froze. That was his name. They knew his name, but how? He’d only ever told two people his name before and neither of them would dare tell any of the light sides.  
“How do you know my name?”  
Patton suddenly stopped all movement, before looking back helplessly at the other two sides.  
Roman sighed, with an upset look on his face. “I was afraid of this.”  
He turned his attention to Virgil. “Now Virgil, I know you must be scared, but you need to stay calm.”  
Roman took a step closer and Virgil’s eyes snapped to him. Then to the sword in his hand. Roman had a sword and was coming at him.  
Run! His mind shouted at him and he listened. He jumped to his feet and bolted, not caring where he was going other than away from the very sharp object carried by the side who was not shy in his hatred of him.  
He continued to run until he felt something wrap around his legs and he tumbled to the ground. He looked down to see the glowing gras had grown up around his legs, trapping him.  
He looked up to see the lights running after him, Roman’s sword still out, and getting closer. He thrashed against the grass, but it might as well have been steel cables around his legs.  
Roman was the first to get to him. Virgil snarled and hissed at him, but his eyes never left the sword.  
Roman looked down where Virgil was looking and quickly dropped his weapon before crouching down even closer.  
“It’s ok Virgil, everything is going to be ok.”  
That was the last thing Virgil heard before Roman blew a hand full of dust that smelled of warm milk and clean sheets into his face, and his eyes suddenly felt very heavy. He tried to keep them open. There was no way he was falling asleep here, but he couldn’t fight it. His eyes closed and body slumped on the ground.  
-  
Virgil felt warm. He opened his eyes to find he was in a room he did not recognize and the reason he was warm was because he was in a bed that was not his own. The comforter was black and purple and so were the sheets. He looked around and found he was in a circular room made of light gray stone, carved with an intricately detailed spider web pattern.  
“Where…?”  
Suddenly the events from earlier came rushing back. He’d woken up in Roman’s half of the imagination, with no memory of how he’d gotten there, and surrounded by light sides. Light sides that new his name and apparently a lot more if the decor of the room was anything to go by.  
Wait he was in a room he didn’t recognize after being knocked out by Roman. He was still in Roman’s part of the imagination, which meant he was their prisoner.  
Fear spiked in his chest and he ran to the door. Of course, it was locked. He quickly looked around the room for another exit but there was none. His eyes continued to dart around until they landed on something that made him stop dead.  
There was a mirror right across from him, showing off his reflection. A reflection he didn’t immediately register as him. His eyeshadow was darker but also cleaner, like whoever did it cared about how he looked beyond just being edgy. His clothes had changed too. His black T-shirt was replaced by a purple one that was strategically made to look worn out without being tattered and in the place of his plaid black hoodie was a much newer looking black one with purple plaid patches stitched on with pale off white string. There was also a little symbol of a storm cloud on the right side of his chest.  
He shifted uncomfortably. While it fit his tastes perfectly it didn’t really give off the threatening, unapproachable vibe he’d been building up so he could no longer be ignored. Had Roman changed his outfit while he was sleeping just to make him less scary? Did the lights realize it was all an act?  
He needed to get out now. He tried the door again, but it was no use.  
A guard’s face appeared in the door’s window. “I apologize Sir Virgil, but Prince Roman has said you’re unwell and ordered that you remain in here for now. If you are feeling stressed, there are calming activities on the table behind you.”  
Virgil turned and sure enough there was a table full of fidget toys, Tim Burton coloring books, and a laptop with all his favorite movies and music. The sight only managed to unnerve Virgil even more. How did they know so much about him? And why did they want to keep him here? Wouldn’t they have kicked him back to the dark part of the mindscape? Or thrown him into Remus’ part of the imagination?  
Unless they’d been the ones to bring him there.  
His mind quickly went back to one of his conversations with Remus. They’d started talking about the light sides and gotten stuck in a negative feedback loop of different horrible things the lights could do to them. One of which being, the lights deciding that banishing them to the dark side of the mind, where they still had influence on Thomas, wasn’t good enough. Instead they’d trap them in Roman’s side of the imagination, where even Remus’ powers were weaker, keeping them distracted and away from Thomas. The scenarios on how the lights would distract them once in the imagination had gotten rather dark and Virgil was not going to dwell on those. A panic attack was not what he needed right now. Right now, he needed to find a way to escape.  
Easier said than done. The only exit was locked and guarded, and since Roman had full control of this place, any alterations to the room would be instantly noticed. Not to mention how much the lights knew about him probably meant they knew what he’d do to try and escape. If he wanted to get out of there, he needed to do something no one would expect him to do.  
An idea then hit him. There was a small gap between the door and the floor, and he was still able to shape shift. The idea of him becoming that small terrified him out of his mind, which probably meant it was the best chance he had of not getting caught.  
He took a breath and let it out slowly, letting himself shrink as he did so. Once finished he was only a few inches tall and could easily army crawl under the door.  
He closed his eyes and started crawling until he could no longer feel the door over his head. He dared a small peak and gasped at seeing how big the guard was. Thankfully she was looking down the hall in the opposite direction. Silently he made it the rest of the way out the door and booked it down the hallway as fast as his tiny body could take him.  
Once out of sight of the guard he let himself be big again and stopped to catch his breath. So now that he was out of the locked room, he needed to think of what he was going to do next. He was still trapped in the imagination after all. He eventually decided the best way he had of getting out of there was to find Remus part of the imagination and have him take him home. But first he needed to get out of the castle.  
He found a set of stairs and made his way down to the main floor. Thankfully it seemed Roman hadn’t bothered making any more guards, not thinking he’d need them.  
On his way to the castle exit, however, something did make him stop. He passed by a room and heard voices coming from it. It was the light sides. They sounded like they were talking about something important.  
Eventually the fear of not knowing what they were planning overrode his fear of getting caught and he crept over to the door and listened in.  
“I don’t see what the problem is. You control the imagination. Can you not simply create something to fix this situation?”  
“Normally I could, but there’s two problems with that. First those weren’t normal fight and you’re done monsters; they were story triggers. The only way to reverse their effects is to finish the story. That itself wouldn’t be a problem if it was my story, but those were from Remus’ part of the imagination.”  
“So, you’re saying we need to get Remus.”  
“Looks like we’re going to be spending the day with your brother after all.”  
The smile in Patton’s voice sent a shiver down Virgil’s back. Patton’s reaction to Remus was even stronger than his own. Remus was the only person Patton was not hesitant to admit he disliked. If Patton was happy to see Remus, it probably meant Remus was not going to be happy.  
Remus had obviously done something that angered the light sides and now they were after him. Was that why they’d kidnapped Virgil? Where they really so mad at Remus that they thought all the dark sides needed to be locked away, completely cut off from Thomas?  
Virgil could feel the panic start to rise but he refused to let it stop him. As much as Remus unnerved him, he was one of the closest things he had to a friend and he couldn’t stand by and let him be hurt.  
A small snort from Roman broke Virgil out of his spiraling thoughts. “I guess that’s one way of looking at it positively. Logan and I will go get Remus. Patton you stay here with Virgil and try to keep him calm.”  
“Yes, with his volatile mental state one can only guess what he’s thinking in his current condition.”  
“Of course, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on him.”  
Virgil had to think fast. If Patton was going to check on him, he didn’t have much time.  
“The fastest way to Remus’ part of the imagination is through a portal. I’ll make one to the boarder, we’ll have to walk the rest of the way.”  
Virgil’s fists clenched. The only way to get to Remus first was that portal, and there was only one way he was getting through it without anyone knowing. He sucked in a breath and once again shrank himself down. He then snuck into the room, careful to stay under chairs and tables to prevent the other’s from seeing him.  
“Be careful, Remus’ part of the imagination is still dangerous, and you don’t have any control over it.”  
“I know, don’t worry. That’s why I’m bringing Logan, nothing over there can actually hurt him.” There was a pause. “But if you’re really worried then you can keep in contact with this.” Roman handed Patton a small compact mirror. “It’s a two-way magic mirror. We’ll call you when we get to Remus’ castle.”  
“Good idea, and if anything changes with Virgil, he’ll be able to contact us as well.”  
Patton took the mirror and then hugged both of them. Once let go Roman turned and opened the portal. Thankfully that little exchange had given Virgil the opportunity to get close without being seen and he leaped through the portal, moments before Roman and Logan.  
-  
On the other side he found himself in front of a large wall with an ornate iron gate. Wait, since when did the wall between the two halves of the imagination have a gate? Virgil decided he didn’t have time to question it as Roman and Logan were coming through, so he jumped through the bars and hid himself in the shadows. He turned back to see what Roman and Logan were going to do only to see the wall suddenly blink out of existence for a moment before coming back.  
Both Roman and Logan frowned at each other.  
“Well that’s concerning.”  
“Yeah, but one problem at a time. We’ll deal with this after we fix this mess.”  
Logan nodded and Roman held his hand up to the gate. It opened with barely more than a shutter and the two light sides walked in.  
That sent alarm bells screaming in Virgil’s head. Roman shouldn’t be able to do that. No light side should ever be able to just walk into the dark part of the imagination. He needed to get to Remus fast.  
Luckily, he knew a short cut to Remus’ castle. For once he didn’t resent all the times Remus dragged him into the imagination. Not that he liked what he was about to do. He stomped his foot on the ground three times before a mouth like hole opened up beneath him and he fell through. The hole then closed up behind him, plunging him into dark.  
-  
He fell on something squishy, that reeked horribly. Virgil gave a whole-body shiver before standing up and making his way down the dark, damp tunnel.  
About ten minutes later he found himself coming out of the tunnel. He entered a room made of what looked like black stone, only with haunting dead faces drifting across it. He’d made it to Remus’ castle. Now all he needed to do was find Remus.  
He took a step and collapsed to the ground. The events of the day had finally caught up to him and he couldn’t keep going anymore. What if Remus wasn’t in his castle? What if he was out slaughtering a town and Roman and Logan found him first?  
His breaths came faster, and his head swam. He tried to get himself to move but he couldn’t see straight and he felt sick. No. He was supposed to be a protector, but what kind of protector couldn’t even keep the people he cared about safe?  
Unwanted tears welled up in his eyes and fell to the floor. He tried to take in another breath but that only opened the dam for the sobs to claw out of his mouth. He was pathetic. Nothing more than wasted energy. Maybe he deserved to be locked away where his overreactions can’t hurt Thomas anymore. Because that’s what he does, he always ends up hurting Thomas.  
“Virgil?”  
There were arms around him and a hand on his back, moving in soothing circles. He could feel someone breathing in a slow even pattern and his breaths naturally matched it. Finally, he opened his eyes to be met with a mass of black and yellow.  
“Deceit?”  
Deceit adjusted his hold on Virgil and wiped the tears away. The motion was gentle and caring, and far too honest to be coming from Deceit. However, before his thoughts could latch on to that Deceit speaks.  
“Why are you sneaking into Remus’ castle and having a break down on the floor?”  
Suddenly the urgency of what he’d come to do hits him and he quickly stands up, Deceit following shortly after.  
“We have to find Remus. He did something that made the light sides mad and now they’re…”  
“Did you say light sides?”  
“Yes, please we don’t have that much time.”  
Deceit gave a thoughtful look. “Ok I won’t take you to Remus, but first I don’t need you to tell me what the last thing you remember before coming to the imagination is.”  
Virgil looked at Deceit a little oddly before answering. “Uh… that dumb new year’s resolution video, but I don’t’ see what that’s got to do with stopping the light sides from hurting Remus!”  
Deceit’s head tilted before nodding like he’d made a decision. “Alright, I don’t know where Remus is. Follow me.”  
He held out a hand and Virgil took it. He then led him over to a hidden door that opened into a shadowy part of Remus’ thrown room.  
Virgil was about to run out so he could warn Remus before halting at hearing voices. Roman’s and Logan’s voices. No, they were too late.  
Deceit squeezed Virgil’s hand and pressed a finger to his lips. He then pulled Virgil closer so they could watch what was happening.  
Roman and Logan were standing in front of Remus, who was rather calm for having two light sides intruding into his half of the imagination. He didn’t even have his morning star with him. Although, he didn’t exactly look happy. His eyebrows were pinched, and his mouth was set in a worried frown. It was the first time Virgil could remember seeing him having and expression other than a manic grin. Whatever the light sides had said to him was definitely distressing him.  
“Oh no, poor Virgie.” He opened his mouth to say more but closed it when Roman and Logan give him a look. “Right, but yeah of course I’ll come.”  
Virgil felt his stomach twist. They were using him as bait.  
Just then a ringing sound came from Roman’s pocket and he pulled out a mirror similar to the one he gave Patton before they left. He tapped it and the ringing was replaced with Patton’s frantic voice.  
“Guys, Virgil’s gone. He’s not in the room Roman made for him and I looked everywhere. He’s not in the castle.”  
“Patton stay calm, he can’t have gotten far. We’ll find him.”  
Roman then turned to Remus.  
“My part of the imagination may not be as unpredictable as yours but it’s still not safe for Virgil to be lost in it. We need to find him before something bad happens.”  
Remus nodded and Virgil’s stomach twisted. Why was Remus agreeing to help recapture him so easily?  
He then felt Deceit shift and looked in horror as he stepped out where he could be seen.  
“That won’t be necessary.”  
Virgil felt one of Deceit’s other arms grab him and pull him out into view as well. Virgil yanked himself away from Deceit, but only found himself surrounded by all four other sides. He looked to both Deceit and Remus with confusion and betrayal in his eyes. Had they really just sold him out to the light sides?  
Desperately he tried to run again, despite knowing it was a futile effort. He wasn’t even surprised when he felt a tentacle wrap around his legs. He looked up to see the others converge on him and he lashed out again, but the tentacle just moved to pin his whole body. He tried to shape shift to get free, but his mind was racing to fast for him to concentrate.  
“Remus, we can’t wait any longer. We have to do it now.”  
Remus’ gave his brother a heart broken look. “But…”  
“Unfortunately, Roman is right. We cannot risk losing him again trying to transport him back to Roman’s half of the imagination.”  
Remus bit his lip and nodded. He then snapped his fingers and the room around them changed.  
-  
They were now in what looked like a mad scientist’s lab. Several shelves were filled with vials of a strange green substance. In the middle of it all was Virgil, strapped to an examination table, his body stiff and eyes wide with terror as he stared at the device above him. A large mechanical arm, with a chamber for one of the vials, ended in a very sharp, very large needle. A needle that was currently pointed at Virgil’s head.  
Panic! Virgil was panicking. He had to get out of there, but no matter how hard he thrashed against the restraints they held him tight. There was absolutely no way he was getting free on his own.  
He looked to the other sides, desperate for help, despite knowing it was useless. They were the ones who put him there. They wanted him there.  
Why? Was this punishment for intruding on the videos? Did Deceit and Remus turn on him because they were mad he was trying to have a voice when they couldn’t?  
His eyes landed on Remus, who was now holding one of the vials. The only difference between it and the ones on the shelves was the contents were purple. Virgil looked away, tears burning his eyes. Had that been it? Had it just been a big joke? Surrounding him in purple as a secret hint to what they had planned to do with him all along.  
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t even register what the other sides were saying.  
Remus was shaking as he held the vial. “I tried to make it nicer but it’s still my story. It’s still going to hurt him.”  
Roman placed a hand on Remus’ shoulder. “I know but it’ll hurt him no matter what we do. Better to do it now than keep him suffering any longer.”  
“I just don’t know if I can do it. It’s not fun when it’s someone real that I care about. I know that now.” He glanced to Roman and Logan.  
Deceit placed his hand on Remus’ other shoulder. “Yes, but sometimes a little hurt now can’t stop a lot of hurt later. I don’t know that now too. If we don’t do this now it will get better.”  
Remus nodded and placed the vial in the mechanical arm.  
The click of the vial being placed snapped Virgil out of his spiraling thoughts. It also happened to be the last straw on his resolve. Virgil broke. Forget his tough and scary persona, he was scared and wanted out. Hot tears rolled down his face as he pleaded for mercy.  
“No! Please! I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for stepping out of my place. I won’t intrude on the videos anymore. I’ll be quiet. I’ll duck out and Thomas will never hear me again. I promise! Just please… don’t…”  
The last part came out as a whimper and everyone stopped. They all look to Virgil then to each other, guilt clear in their eyes.  
Roman was the first to speak. “Oh Virgil, no. This has nothing to do with the videos. We don’t want you out of them.”  
“Nor do we wish you to duck out. You are required to keep Thomas productive and safe. I would explain the Yerkes Dodson Curve again, but seeing as your lack of memory is due to outside influence it would be a waste of time.”  
Virgil was about to ask what Logan meant by that but didn’t get the chance as Deceit started talking. “Virgil, please know that it is a lie when I say that Remus and I don’t resent you for wanting to be heard. We may have been angry at first but understand why, and you also gave us hope that we could be heard as well.”  
“Yeah what D said. I’m sorry my story messed up your head so much and that it’s hurting you to fix it. This kind of pain isn’t fun.”  
That was not what Virgil was expecting. Especially from Remus. He looked to all the other sides as their words sunk in.  
Lies, his mind told him, they just want you to let your guard down so they can hurt you more. A part of Virgil couldn’t help but believe it, but another part really wanted to believe the others. That this wasn’t just an elaborate way to punish him for stepping out of line.  
“You mean it?”  
“Of course, we do.” Roman put a hand to his head. “I really wish we had Patton with us. He would have told us to tell you this a lot sooner.”  
“Yes, apologies for causing you unnecessary distress.”  
Virgil wanted to believe them, but he couldn’t drop the seed of suspicion. They were all being nice to him. Too nice to him. He tried to shift himself on the table but was stopped by the restraints still holding him. Suddenly he remembered the position he was in and looked to the needle above him warily.  
“So, you guys going to explain the giant scary needle pointed at my head?”  
“Oh right.” Remus glanced at the needle with a strained look. “One of my story monsters got you, and while I normally would love having you be part of my stories the roll you ended up in doesn’t really have a happy ending. I tried to make it better, but you know the rules about stories.”  
“What Remus isn’t trying to say is that due to an unforeseen problem, which we should address once this is over, you lost quite a few memories. Over three years given what you told me. This vial has all your missing memories but given this is Remus’ domain the method of giving them back to you is not pleasant.”  
Virgil nods as much as he can while still tied down. “And the restraints?”  
“Would you trust the embodiment of the fight or flight instinct to hold still for a procedure like this?”  
“Point.” Virgil looked to the needle again. There was still a chance they were lying. That the needle was going to do something horrible to him, but if they were telling the truth it meant he was missing a lot of information. That scared him almost as much as the needle. “I still don’t want to do this.”  
Roman held Virgil’s hand. “We know, but it’s for the best. You’d be a mess without your memories.”  
Virgil squeezed Roman’s hand. “And that would be bad for Thomas.”  
“That would be bad for you.”  
Deceit then walked over to Virgil’s head and placed a hand on it. “I might not be able to help. Do you want me to hide the fear, like I used to?”  
Virgil took a breath. “Yeah that be great.”  
Deceit’s hand glowed yellow and suddenly Virgil felt himself relax. All the doubts about this being a lie were gone along with the fear. Everything was going to be fine.  
“Ok I’m ready.”  
His head exploded in pain.  
-  
Virgil was warm, and very comfortable. He opened his eyes to see the ceiling of the common room. He looked down to see he was lying on the pull-out couch bed.  
“He’s awake!”  
Virgil’s vision was suddenly obscured by a mass of light blue and gray.  
“Patton?”  
“Hey kiddo. How you feeling?”  
“Uh… ok, I guess. Which is weird considering I just had a giant needle shoved into my head.”  
“Yeah that’s the great thing about stories all the effects go away when they end.”  
Patton shifted so Virgil could see Roman smiling over him. He then sat up and looked to see all the sides crowded around him. Logan and Deceit were standing on either side of him, both with genuine smiles on their faces. Remus was at the foot of the bed nervously rocking back and forth.  
“May we inquire on the state of your memories?”  
“I’m good. I remember everything now.” He pulled his legs up to his chest. “Sorry for freaking out on you guys.”  
“Yes, because you’re not literally the embodiment of fear and everyone really shouldn’t have expected it.”  
Virgil nodded then looked to Remus who still hadn’t said a word. “Hey Remus, what’s wrong? You’re not normally this quiet.”  
“Oh yeah. I just can’t get the picture of the needle going into your brain out of my head. And I keep thinking about how it was my fault and how I should just…”  
“Stop, we are done trapping ourselves in unhealthy thoughts. Remember?”  
Remus nodded.  
“It also wasn’t your fault, the wall between our halves of the imagination is fading. You had no idea that your monsters would end up anywhere near Virgil.”  
“Yes, about that. What are we going to do about that? Because something like this isn’t going to happen again if we don’t do something.”  
“Well first it is imperative that we know why it’s happening. My theory is that since Thomas has accepted Remus as a part of himself and is no longer afraid to indulge in some darker themes, he no longer feels the need to figuratively, or in our case literally, block him out.”  
“So, Thomas is making the wall go away?” Patton played with his cat hoodie.  
“Yes, or that’s my theory anyway.”  
“So, we’re not going to be able to do anything about it?”  
“Not, necessarily you will simply have to be more aware of how you set up your different parts of the imagination. Also, some intermingling may not be a bad thing and perhaps could be beneficial.”  
“Always did want to play a bit with Roman’s dragon witch. Make her something better than just a Melificent rip off.”  
“The dragon witch isn’t just a Melificent rip off!”  
Virgil let a small smile rest on his lips. It was good to remember his famILY again.

**Author's Note:**

> If Deceit or Remus feel out of character it's because I headcanon that, much like Virgil pretended to be mean and scary to be heard, the other dark sides are also putting on acts. They don't need to keep it up now that they are accepted.


End file.
